Sevilla: 5 reasons they can top Barcelona in the La Liga standings
By Roy Emanuel
Depth
This past summer saw key changes for Sevilla beyond just the departure of Unai Emery to Ligue 1. The club’s activity in the transfer market is beginning to pay dividends in the form of an immensely talented and deep squad.
The focus was on improving a variety of positions and ownership made the acquisition of targeted players a top priority.
Franco Vazquez, Wissam Ben Yedder, Ganso and Gabriel Mercado all arrived at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan with a point to prove. Each of these players have contributed greatly to the team’s success.
Smart loan moves were important as well. Luciano Vietto, Samir Nasri and Salvatore Sirigu all have provided incredible depth to a talented side. The addition of Stevan Jovetic last week has already proven to be a stroke of genius. Pablo Sarabia leads Sevilla in assists this season (7) and has added six goals across all competitions.
Squad rotation has been effective and has helped Sevilla in other tournaments as well. A strong group stage performance qualified the club for the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, where they await Premier League title-holders Leicester City next month.
La Liga’s title race can often come down to a club’s ability to navigate a busy fixture list and multiple competitions. It is a part of why Real Madrid and Barcelona continue to dominate.
However, after strong transactions in the transfer market and stellar play from many players, Sevilla have the capability to finish with a higher point total than the Blaugrana.